Charlotte Rene Woods

Lawsuit claims violation of constitutional amendment process, but new law may invalidate that charge • Virginia Mercury At the core of a new Bedford County-based lawsuit challenging Virginia's pending reproductive rights amendment is an allegation that House of Delegates Clerk Paul Nardo failed to send copies of the am...

At the core of a lawsuit challenging Virginia's reproductive rights constitutional amendment is an allegation the House Clerk didn't follow procedure. But a new law might invalidate that charge.

Courts can test it and you can learn more here:
virginiamercury.com/2026/03/06/l...

Bedford County supervisor files suit challenging reproductive rights constitutional amendment • Virginia Mercury Lawsuit claims abortion ballot initiative is invalid because Virginia’s House of Delegates did not distribute it to all circuit court clerks and post it for public inspection three months prior to the...

A lawsuit has been filed to try to stop Virginia's proposed reproductive rights constitutional amendment from making it to statewide ballots later this year.
virginiamercury.com/2026/03/04/b...

Bill mandating ingredient labels on menstrual products headed to Spanberger • Virginia Mercury While some companies label ingredients used to make menstrual health products like tampons or pads, many disclose little about the chemicals their products contain.

People with periods have “no choice” but to use menstrual health products to manage their bleeding,
@hollyseiboldva.bsky.social said.

Her label requirement bill is on its way to the governor for further consideration.
virginiamercury.com/2026/03/03/b...

Virginia’s new public health leaders take the helm as state agencies weather uncharted waters • Virginia Mercury Two men with deep experience in health care policy and practice have recently been tapped to oversee Virginia’s public health agencies, as health care remains a top concern for residents and an ongoin...

Meet two of Virginia's new public health leaders.

As Secretary of Health & Human Resources and Commissioner of VDH, Marvin Figueroa and Cameron Webb discuss being Black men in leadership and navigating federal funding changes to state health care.
virginiamercury.com/2026/03/02/v...

Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association 2026 Gala Come celebrate the mid-point of the 2026 legislative session and mingle with the journalists who chronicle it each step of the way!

ATTN: Va. political people, mark your calendars for Feb. 19 for the Virginia Capitol Correspondents gala!

Come celebrate the midpoint of the 2026 legislative session and mingle with the journalists who chronicle it!

Tickets here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/virginia-c...

Spanberger ends ICE agreement involving Virginia State Police and corrections officers • Virginia Mercury The agreement — which stems from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration —  had effectively placed state law enforcement under federal control and supervision to conduct civil immigration enforcement.

The agreement — which stems from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration — had effectively placed state law enforcement under federal control and supervision.
virginiamercury.com/2026/02/04/s...

Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first woman governor, moves swiftly to set agenda • Virginia Mercury Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn in Saturday as Virginia’s 75th governor, making history as the first woman to hold the commonwealth’s highest office and pledging to lead with unity, affordabilit...

NEW: Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn in Saturday as Virginia’s 75th governor — and the first woman to hold the office — invoking unity, warning of “recklessness” coming out of Washington and moving quickly to define her agenda.

virginiamercury.com/2026/01/17/s...

Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s first woman governor.

Follow @charlottewords.bsky.social and @mschmidtrva.bsky.social's #SpanbergerInauguration coverage here: virginiamercury.com/2026/01/17/s...

I'm helping with inauguration coverage today for @virginiamercury.com as @abigailspanberger.com is sworn in as Virginia’s next governor.

It's the 1st day of Virginia's 2026 legislative session. I caught
@kimadamsforva.bsky.social having a moment after she was sworn in to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Here’s what Virginia is doing so far to reduce its SNAP error rate • Virginia Mercury States must reduce rates to 6% over the next year, or lose federal funding that supports the program.

I FOIAed records to see what Virginia has been doing to reduce its SNAP error rate -- a task the state must complete to comply with Congress' July 2025 reconciliation bill. Learn more here:
virginiamercury.com/2026/01/05/h...

Virginia awaits decision on $1 billion rural health grant  • Virginia Mercury Outdated technology, provider shortages, long travel times to care and high rates of chronic disease are among the issues the application aims to address. To tackle those challenges, the administratio...

With applicants to the Rural Health Transformation Fund set to be notified within the next few days, here's a look at what Virginia has proposed: virginiamercury.com/2025/12/29/v...

And shoutout to my former newsroom, @cvilletomorrow.bsky.social. I was able to link to some of their coverage in my story!

New UVA research recommends gun violence prevention strategies for state, local governments • Virginia Mercury New qualitative research from University of Virginia professors and law students explores contributing factors to youth gun violence in Virginia as well as solutions at the state and local levels.

I know there are some other UVA-related things making news today, but a qualitative research study that just dropped reveals some gun violence prevention strategies. People living in "hotspots" around the state were also interviewed for their insights. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/14/n...

Centra South Side Community Hospital to close labor and delivery unit in Farmville • Virginia Mercury Starting on Dec. 19, Farmville-area expectant parents will need to travel to Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital in Lynchburg — a roughly hour-long drive west.

Virginia’s South Side maternal health care desert is about to get a little drier as a Farmville hospital is closing its labor & delivery unit.

Longstanding challenges paired with federal funding changes in health care were among the reasons.

virginiamercury.com/2025/11/07/c...

Youngkin, Spanberger talk administrative transition with an eye on food security and health care • Virginia Mercury Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and Gov. Glenn Youngkin stepped out of the Executive Mansion on Thursday with their spouses, smiling as they paused to talk with reporters. The couples had just shared a ...

🚨Transition in motion: Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin meet at the Executive Mansion to focus on food security, health care and living costs as Virginia gears up for "Day One" of the new administration.

virginiamercury.com/2025/11/06/y...

Democrats sweep Virginia’s statewide races, reclaiming full control of executive branch • Virginia Mercury Democrats completed a clean statewide sweep in Virginia on Tuesday night, as former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for governor, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond,…

BREAKING: Democrat Jay Jones defeated Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in the attorney general race, completing the party's full sweep of statewide office elections in Virginia. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/d...

BREAKING: Democrat Abigail Spanberger wins Virginia governor's race • Virginia Mercury The Associated Press has called the Virginia governor’s race in Democrat Abigail Spanberger’s favor, as of 8:00 p.m. Spanberger clenched a victory over Republican opponent Winsome Earle-Sears,…

“It's a big deal that the girls and the young women I have met along the campaign trail now know with certainty that they can achieve anything,” Democrat Abigail Spanberger said after defeating Republican nominee Winsome Earle-Sears in the Virginia governor race. virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/b...

Va. launches statewide food drive to counter federal government shutdown, delayed SNAP benefits • Virginia Mercury Building on a temporary state-level version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) announced last week, state agencies are collaborating on a food drive effort to further bols...

Updates for now on SNAP and Virginia's state-level temporary version of it:
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/04/y...

Scenes from Saturday in Norfolk, Virginia as former president Barack Obama campaigned for Abigail Spanberger.

Check out @charlottewords.bsky.social's dispatch from today's Spanberger rally: 👇🏾
#VaGOV

‘It goes quick’: Virginians stretch dollars and hope as SNAP funding freezes • Virginia Mercury Each month, when his Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds arrive, Daniel Garratt stocks up meats and pantry staples like canned goods in bulk at Walmart. He then visits local discount or do...

Some SNAP recipients walked me through how they stretch their dollars to feed themselves and their families. But worry grows amid the federal shutdown and new restrictions.

A Gov. Youngkin order could provide temporary relief if the shutdown lasts past October.

virginiamercury.com/2025/10/27/i...

Va. registrars share how they keep rolls accurate, reflect on their role in the democratic process • Virginia Mercury Security is paramount, the registrars said, as they broke down how they pre-test voting equipment, create protocols for election worker conduct and access to ballots, and how  they participate in the ...

New story from @virginiamercury.com @charlottewords.bsky.social discusses how Virginia registrars secure our votes, build trust & handle challenges on the frontlines of democracy.

These insights come from our new video series Behind the Ballot

Read here: virginiamercury.com/2025/10/27/v...

Virginia patients, nonprofits cope with loss of federal funding for HIV/AIDS patients • Virginia Mercury This article, Part Three of the Mercury’s Pulse Check series, was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2025 Impact Fund for Reporting on Health Equity and Health ...

In Pt. 3, orgs supporting HIV/AIDS patients experienced funding losses this year too. Norfolk's Shay Tucker and Richmond's Kelly Garrett told me how they stay cheerful, despite growing concerns for themselves & their communities. 🧵 4/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/22/v...

Virginia hospitals, clinics brace for federal health care changes • Virginia Mercury Ballad Health’s chief operations officer Eric Deaton characterized the forthcoming challenges as “pretty scary.” He predicts Ballad could lose around $25 million in the first year the reconciliation b...

In Pt. 2, hospitals, free clinics and nonprofit organizations relayed their current struggles and how they're bracing for funding and Medicaid changes in the reconciliation bill Congress passed this summer. 🧵 3/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/21/v...

How the Virginia Department of Health is healing internal issues amid federal funding cuts • Virginia Mercury In Part One of the Mercury’s Pulse Check series, we examine the challenges that were roiling the state health department even before this year’s federal cuts introduced new hurdles, and how officials ...

Prior to the federal changes, Va. Health Dept. had its own internal issues to heal: financial mismanagement and staffing issues. I explore their progress as they adjust to federal changes in Pt. 1 of "Pulse Check." 🧵 2/4
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/20/p...

Pulse Check Archives • Virginia Mercury This series examines the state of health care in Virginia

I traveled the state this summer exploring how federal funding changes affect Virginia's hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, and the state health department. The three-part series launched this week. 🧵 1/4
virginiamercury.com/category/pul...

Fairfax County Public Schools lawyers’ internal probe refutes school-assisted abortion allegations Allegations that Centreville High School staff coerced minors into getting abortions and assisted them in undergoing the procedure without their parents’ knowledge are “likely untrue,” Oct. 16 finding...

Allegations that Centreville High School staff coerced minors into getting abortions and helped them get the procedure without their parents’ knowledge are “likely untrue,” per the Virginia school district's legal probe, by @charlottewords.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fair...

Jones text scandal reshapes Virginia’s attorney general race — and tests Spanberger’s ticket • Virginia Mercury Thursday’s attorney general debate will likely offer voters their clearest look yet at how both men defend their records — and how they define the office in a sharply divided Virginia.

Democratic attorneys general remain one of a few checks on power against Republican majorities in Congress and the White House. Meanwhile, Jones' text scandal also looms over his race against Miyares.

Voters can glean more from both men in tonight's debate.
virginiamercury.com/2025/10/15/j...